Commons leader Sir George Young, 70, who heads the e-petition scheme, warned MPs not to ignore public appetite for a Parliamentary debate on the issue. He said it would damage democracy if politicians acted as if the views on hanging “did not exist”.

And Tory MP Priti Patel, 40, said a debate was long overdue. She favours restoring capital punishment “for the most serious and significant crimes”.

Under the e-petition scheme the public can force MPs to debate any issue that attracts 100,000 signatures.

The bid to bring back hanging is being spearheaded by right-wing blogger Guido Fawkes.

He said on his website: “Even if we don’t win the vote, we’ll see which MPs put the welfare of child killers above the wider community.”